The 10th Annual ICSH Haemostasis Meeting 2026

Photo Caption: Attendees from the 2026 ICSH Haemostasis Meeting. Intercontinental Hotel Champs Elysee, Paris

The 10th annual ICSH Haemostasis meeting  took place  on Friday 10^th July at the Intercontinental Hotel Champs Elysee in Paris on the day before the ISTH conference commenced, ICSH are grateful to Dr Francois Depasse and Stago for generous sponsorship to facilitate the meeting.

Attendance peaked at 60 which compares well with the 12 attendees at the original ICSH Haemostasis Meeting in Montpellier in 2016.

Dr Amrom Obstfeld, the new Chair of ICSH,  and others discussed the growing and future impact of AI in Haemostasis, and  ICSH project leads gave updates on ongoing ICSH Haemostasis Projects with some discussion about future topics for guidance. A number of ICSH corporate members were in attendance including some newer members.

ICSH remains keen to maintain the inclusive and open nature of the meeting for attendance, and to have an environment for constructive discussion on areas of Haemostasis where ICSH could contribute.

Feedback from delegates has been very gratifying both on the content and the facilities.

We look forward to welcoming you to our next ICSH dedicated Haemostasis meeting in Vancouver on Friday 25^th June 2027.  

ICSH delivers a Special Plenary Session at ISLH 2026

Photo Caption (Left to Right): Susan Guy, Simon Davidson, Cornelis Harteveld, Richard McCafferty & Aditya Tedjaseputra

The ICSH Special Plenary Session at this year’s ISLH Meeting proved to be an outstanding success, drawing a well attended audience to the Pentland Auditorium (Edinburgh International Convention Centre, Edinburgh Scotland) for a morning of high‑quality scientific presentations and lively discussion.

Under the expert guidance of session chairs Simon Davidson and Richard McCafferty, the plenary showcased the latest advances in standardisation, haemoglobin analysis, and molecular diagnostics—perfectly reflecting ICSH’s mission to promote global harmonisation in laboratory haematology.

The session opened with Cornelis L. Harteveld, who presented newly generated HbA₂ certified reference material, a significant step forward for improving accuracy and comparability in haemoglobinopathy testing worldwide.

Susan Guy from the Sheffield Thrombosis and Haemostasis Centre delivered an insightful talk on monitoring Argatroban, highlighting practical considerations and the need for consistent laboratory approaches in managing this important anticoagulant.

The plenary concluded with Aditya Tedjaseputra of King’s College London (& 2025 ICSH Sam Machin Scholar), who outlined the standardisation and validation of FLT3‑ITD measurable residual disease using ultra‑sensitive next‑generation sequencing, demonstrating how advanced molecular techniques are reshaping the landscape of leukaemia monitoring.

Collectively, the session reinforced the value of international collaboration and the essential role of ICSH in driving standardisation across the field.

Feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive, with many noting the clarity, relevance, and scientific depth of the presentations.

ICSH 2025 Morphology Symposium News

The ICSH 2025 Morphology Symposium, organised by the ICSH in collaboration with the University of Western Australia, was held in Perth from 24th to 26th November 2025. The event gathered more than 130 participants from across the Indian Ocean region, including invited speakers and distinguished guests. This year, 11 recipients were awarded for the ICSH Educational Grant. Unfortunately, two were unable to attend as they could not get a visa to enter Australia. The awardees represented institutions from Zambia, Fiji, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malawi, Tanzania, Namibia, and myself from Malaysia.

ICSH extends its heartfelt thanks to “Siemens Healthineers, Sysmex, URIT, Business Events Perth, and Cancer Council Western Australia for their generosity and sponsorship, as well as to the University of Western Australia for the warm hospitality including the excellent plenary and breakout venues, the delicious meals, and the comfortable accommodation provided at St George’s College.

Each participant received a symposium pack bag, complete with the programme book and, most valuably, the 230-page Morphology Course Notes. This treasured resource will undoubtedly be placed at the multi-headed microscopes during slide reviews in my institutions, allowing other haematology students and colleagues to benefit from the knowledge shared.

The scientific programme opened with three plenary lectures by Professor Wendy Erber, who provided comprehensive updates on ICSH standards and bone marrow reporting, building on the 2008 guidelines. The following day, Professor Anna Schuh delivered an excellent plenary on CLL and liquid biopsy, highlighting its faster turnaround compared with conventional histopathology, followed by Dr Ben Hedley, who presented on standardising flow cytometry for leukaemia diagnosis and monitoring using CLSI guidance.

A major highlight of the symposium was the series of morphology sessions structured from red blood cells to white blood cells, and concluding with lymphoid disorders and metastatic infiltration delivered by Dr Matthew Wright, Prof Wendy Erber, Dr Jason So, and Dr Katharine Lowndes. And this was followed by the Morphology Quiz, which I had the honour of conducting using Kahoot. There were noise, excitement and joyful chaos, thanks to the delightful diversity of answers! Congratulations to Dr Lai Ngan Shan, the winner of the Quiz. Each session was captivating, insightful, and filled with memorable teaching moments, including a charming new term introduced during the plasma cell discussion: “Amphophilia!” describing their affinity for both haematoxylin and eosin.

The afternoon breakout sessions were equally enriching, offering a mixture of Meet-the-Expert discussions, free paper presentations, which provided excellent opportunities especially for non-native English speakers to build confidence. Many challenging and fascinating cases were showcased, offering important learning points, particularly from resource-limited settings where diagnostic constraints influence outcomes. After all, morphology remains the fundamental starting point in haematological diagnosis.

The intimate morphology revision sessions with Prof Erber were among the most sought-after activities, and I was fortunate to secure a place on Day 1. Other participants also greatly enjoyed the always fully booked PathWest (QEII) laboratory visit, expertly guided by Tracy Dixon, including personalised slide reviews that reinforced the learning from the morning sessions.

My sincere appreciation goes to the organising committee, the distinguished faculty, all presenters, and every participant who contributed to the great success of the ICSH 2025 Morphology Symposium.

A)    Morphology teaching session with the Morphology Course Notes.

B) Nine-headed microscope session with Prof Wendy Erber reviewing MPN cases.

C) Free Communication presentation by 2023 Sam Machin Scholar, Dr Zi Yun Ng.

D) Part of the organising committee (Steve Weston not pictured).

E) 2023–2024 Sam Machin Scholars with ICSH Board Members.

F) Eight recipients of the ICSH 2025 Morphology Educational Grant holding Diagnostic techniques in haematological malignancy book received! Top row (from left): Dr Sophanith Seng (University of Health Sciences, Cambodia), Dr Esther Niilonga Kalambi-Matengu (Namibia Institute of Pathology, Namibia), Dr Inonge Akekelwa (University Teaching Hospital, Zambia), Dr Ahlam Nassar (Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Tanzania), Mr Terry Fawcett, and Mr Theophilus Panji Musachi (Mua Mission Hospital, Malawi). Front row: Dr Razan Hayati Zulkeflee, Professor Wendy Erber, Dr Katharine Lowndes, Ms Chantha Hou (Calmette Hospital, Cambodia), and Dr Aruna Devi (Fiji National University, Fiji). (Dr Yetti Hernaningsih, Airlangga University, Indonesia, is not pictured.)

G)   The fun group photo where everyone cheered “MorphologYYYYY!” together.

This symposium was truly phenomenal. What did I learn from it? Honestly: everything!: expanded morphology knowledge, enriched perspectives, meaningful networking with fellow morphologists and reunion with dear colleagues. Above all, I was reminded that despite our different languages, countries, ethnicities, and professional backgrounds, we all share the same universal language of morphology a vocabulary that unites and inspires us.

Allow me to express my sincere gratitude to the ICSH for awarding me the Educational Grant. I am truly grateful for this support.

With that, wishing everyone a wonderful year ahead and looking forward to many more inspiring ICSH events to come. Happy New Year!

Thank you so very much. Till then,

Best wishes,

Dr Razan Hayati Zulkeflee

ICSH 2025 Morphology Educational Grantee

2024 Sam Machin Scholar